3 ms·

Depends on the nature of the conviction and the employer. Theft, fraud, sex offenses, violent crimes, drugs will likely count against the candidate. Companies d

Depends on the nature of the conviction and the employer. Theft, fraud, sex offenses, violent crimes, drugs will likely count against the candidate. Companies don't "feel" any specific way since companies don't "feel" or have the same policies. How much a record counts against a candidate will depend on company policies (both formal and informal), and the judgment of the interviewers. I know someone with a felony fraud conviction who can't get a job at any financial company (the business domain he has most experience in). Instant disqualifier. Not all employers run background checks, but they may ask about felony or even misdemeanor convictions and if you lie and they later find out they can fire for that reason. A candidate with a record may get passed over with the employer giving some other reason, to protect themselves from lawsuits. In other words the candidate may get told "We hired a more qualified candidate" when they actually got rejected because of a criminal record.

listenallyall 3y ago
> if you lie and they later find out they can fire for that reason There is no standard "background check." A criminal history might come up, might not. You have to decide what's the best strategy... disclose it now while I'm competing against multiple other candidates with clean records and no solid internal relationships, or not say anything and take my chances, that maybe someone may discover it in the future and my ability, once I've become a well-liked, important contributor to the company, to be able to explain it away.
- gregjor 3y ago
  Some employers run pre-employment or post-offer background checks. Those checks vary but will generally include felony convictions. If the employer does get a background check do they are supposed to get the candidate's permission, but criminal convictions and sex offender registrations can show up in Google searches. Some jurisdictions don't allow pre-employment background checks. In any case the candidate should know if the hiring process includes a criminal background check. Some employers simply ask (usually on an information form) if the candidate has any convictions. A candidate doesn't have to volunteer information, but should have an explanation for a criminal record should that come up. If asked the candidate shouldn't lie because lying to get a job usually gives the employer grounds to terminate later with cause (unless you get elected to Congress).
cortesoft 3y ago
> Theft, fraud, sex offenses, violent crimes, drugs will likely count against the candidate. What crimes are left? Also, ‘convicted criminal’ is not a protected class, you wouldn’t win a lawsuit against someone who refuses to hire ex-cons.
- gregjor 3y ago
  In my experience (interviewed a lot of people in 40 years in the software business), mostly you see DUIs, marijuana possession, and things like burglary or auto theft, vandalism, trespassing from way back when the candidate was a teenager or young adult. It would matter how far back the incident occurred and if the candidate only had one conviction rather than a pattern of repeated criminal behavior. I don't think someone should get penalized their whole life for a mistake, but multiple convictions or recent convictions will make anyone wonder about who they are hiring. I've hired candidates who had drug-related convictions but had stayed away from drugs for years. I hired a man who had a fairly old conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm because he had a good explanation (and even though I'm not a fan of carrying guns). I have passed on people who had stolen from their employer or had convictions for violent crimes like assault, robbery, or sex offenses. An employer has to consider more than giving a candidate with a record a second chance. They also have to consider the safety (real or perceived) of their other employees. If people at a company find out that they're working alongside someone with a history of violent assaults they aren't going to like that. Sometimes a person can get their criminal record sealed or expunged, maybe worth it to discuss with a lawyer.
ryandrake 3y ago
> Not all employers run background checks, but they may ask about felony or even misdemeanor convictions and if you lie and they later find out they can fire for that reason. They can ask about anything I suppose. I've had company interviews where the application required me to state whether or not I've ever even been arrested, "regardless of conviction". Presumably their risk model counts even innocent (and ultimately incorrect) run-ins with the law as too risky to hire.
- gregjor 3y ago
  They can't ask about anything but they can ask about criminal history. I've seen forms that ask about arrests, whether those led to a conviction or not. Some seem so broad that they would include traffic citations. In the US a fairly big industry exists to do background checks and pre-employment screening. Having worked in enterprise logistics for a long time, with warehouse staff and drivers coming and going all the time and mandatory background tests and drug screens, I know that employers have to carefully screen so they aren't endangering their other employees, but also that employers can show compassion and understanding and not just toss a candidate for an old conviction.

listenallyall 3y ago

> if you lie and they later find out they can fire for that reason There is no standard "background check." A criminal history might come up, might not. You have to decide what's the best strategy... disclose it now while I'm competing against multiple other candidates with clean records and no solid internal relationships, or not say anything and take my chances, that maybe someone may discover it in the future and my ability, once I've become a well-liked, important contributor to the company, to be able to explain it away.

gregjor 3y ago
Some employers run pre-employment or post-offer background checks. Those checks vary but will generally include felony convictions. If the employer does get a background check do they are supposed to get the candidate's permission, but criminal convictions and sex offender registrations can show up in Google searches. Some jurisdictions don't allow pre-employment background checks. In any case the candidate should know if the hiring process includes a criminal background check. Some employers simply ask (usually on an information form) if the candidate has any convictions. A candidate doesn't have to volunteer information, but should have an explanation for a criminal record should that come up. If asked the candidate shouldn't lie because lying to get a job usually gives the employer grounds to terminate later with cause (unless you get elected to Congress).

cortesoft 3y ago

> Theft, fraud, sex offenses, violent crimes, drugs will likely count against the candidate. What crimes are left? Also, ‘convicted criminal’ is not a protected class, you wouldn’t win a lawsuit against someone who refuses to hire ex-cons.

gregjor 3y ago
In my experience (interviewed a lot of people in 40 years in the software business), mostly you see DUIs, marijuana possession, and things like burglary or auto theft, vandalism, trespassing from way back when the candidate was a teenager or young adult. It would matter how far back the incident occurred and if the candidate only had one conviction rather than a pattern of repeated criminal behavior. I don't think someone should get penalized their whole life for a mistake, but multiple convictions or recent convictions will make anyone wonder about who they are hiring. I've hired candidates who had drug-related convictions but had stayed away from drugs for years. I hired a man who had a fairly old conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm because he had a good explanation (and even though I'm not a fan of carrying guns). I have passed on people who had stolen from their employer or had convictions for violent crimes like assault, robbery, or sex offenses. An employer has to consider more than giving a candidate with a record a second chance. They also have to consider the safety (real or perceived) of their other employees. If people at a company find out that they're working alongside someone with a history of violent assaults they aren't going to like that. Sometimes a person can get their criminal record sealed or expunged, maybe worth it to discuss with a lawyer.

ryandrake 3y ago

> Not all employers run background checks, but they may ask about felony or even misdemeanor convictions and if you lie and they later find out they can fire for that reason. They can ask about anything I suppose. I've had company interviews where the application required me to state whether or not I've ever even been arrested, "regardless of conviction". Presumably their risk model counts even innocent (and ultimately incorrect) run-ins with the law as too risky to hire.

gregjor 3y ago
They can't ask about anything but they can ask about criminal history. I've seen forms that ask about arrests, whether those led to a conviction or not. Some seem so broad that they would include traffic citations. In the US a fairly big industry exists to do background checks and pre-employment screening. Having worked in enterprise logistics for a long time, with warehouse staff and drivers coming and going all the time and mandatory background tests and drug screens, I know that employers have to carefully screen so they aren't endangering their other employees, but also that employers can show compassion and understanding and not just toss a candidate for an old conviction.